Where the Bands Are: This Week in Live Music and Concert News

An icon is coming to Artpark; Buffalo Porchfest is this Saturday; a rich bounty of summer series and concert announcements; plus picks for this week and beyond. LFG!

May 14, 2026

Have a cool concert or interesting event you know about? Email all the info and links to jeffmiersmusic@gmail.com to be considered for inclusion in Where the Bands Are.)

Hey there, fellow music-lovers.

Well, here it comes. We’ll be in it before you know it.

This weekend is Buffalo Porchfest, which has by now become an unofficial kickoff for the summer concert season. Information on a slew of outdoor summer concert series’ dropped this week, as well. An unexpected cancellation of what seemed like it was going to be a cool show at Artpark has been balanced in the ‘good news’ column by the announcement that a Buffalo promoter with a proven track record is taking over a storied Niagara Falls venue that, it seems, hasn’t really been managed correctly in the past. And an intimate show from a living legend has been added to the garden of earthly delights that is our ever-expanding roster of summer concerts.

Not a bad week, on balance.

Read on!

ICYMI: The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton present: AVTT/PTTN show in Artpark on Tuesday, June 16 Has been CANCELLED.

If you purchased tickets and you have not seen your refund on your credit card statement, call the Artpark Box Office at 716-754-4375.

After Dark to rehab Rapids Theatre!

From After Dark Presents founder and Rec Room Buffalo co-owner Chris Ring via FB: “Exciting news to share! Dale, myself, and the whole After Dark Presents team are really excited for this opportunity and grateful for the support we’ve received so far. Rec Room isn’t going anywhere, this is just another exciting chapter for us. We’re looking forward to bringing live music and energy back to the historic Rapids Theatre and hopefully playing a small part in the continued revitalization of Main Street and downtown Niagara Falls.”

Buffalo Porchfest is this Saturday, May 16

Wow. The number of locations and plenitude of bands is truly impressive this year! Here is a PDF with times and locations. Link here to the interactive map.

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10th Anniversary Thursday & Main lineup announced!

Thursdays, June 4 - July 30, 5-8 pm at Fountain Plaza in Downtown Buffalo, NY. FREE

June 4: Handsome Jack and The Burkharts

June 11: The Strictly Hip with Erin Hoyle

June 18: The Big Easy in Buffalo presents: The Soul Rebels with Honey Island Swamp Band

June 25: The Black Rock Beatles with The Shakermakers

July 9: Lazlo Hollyfeld with One Foot Up

July 16: Hollerado with Amateur Hockey Club

July 23: An evening with The Dave Matthews Tribute Band

July 30: Robert Randolph with Damone Jackson Outcome

Music Matters Summer Concert Series lineup revealed

Thursdays, June 12 - September 3, 7 pm-10 pm+ at Sully’s Harbor Bar & Grill, Erie Basin Marina, Downtown Buffalo, NY. $10. ** Plus, 4 special shows as noted. This year you can get your tickets for any or all shows in advance HERE> $10 Pre-sale includes voucher for a free Red Stripe Lager!

6/11 *NEW* Why Rush Matters Podcast Launch Party!
An Evening with Analog Kids: A Tribute to Rush

6/18 Stoneflower plays the music of David Bowie

6/25 Captain Trips plays the Grateful Dead

7/2 EUROPA! celebrates the Music of Santana

7/9 RELICS plays the music of Pink Floyd

7/16 Gavin Petrie Band and Tiger Chung Lee

7/22 SPECIAL WEDNESDAY SHOW: Talking Dead Heads on the USS Little Rock. $25

7/23 The Damone Jackson Outcome

7/24 SPECIAL FRIDAY SHOW: Talking Dead Heads at Sully’s Bar & Grill. $20

7/29 SPECIAL WEDNESDAY SHOW: Brownman Electryc Trio. FREE

7/30 Organ Fairchild

8/2 SPECIAL SUNDAY SHOW: Omega Men (Brownman with DJ Cutler). FREE

8/6 The Strictly Hip

8/13 The Garage Doors play the music of The Doors

8/20 REGGAE DANCE PARTY: Olmsted Dub System plays the Clash and Critt’s Juke Joint ft/BEÜ

8/27 Eberwine and the Little Mountain Band

9/3 The Black Rock Beatles

ICYMI - Dead on the Hilltop Concert Series lineup:

Various Saturdays at The Hilltop Inn & Grove, Alden, NY.

June 27: 4 pm - Waildogs, 6:30 pm - Jimmy D Band

July 11: 4 pm - Cold Shot Trio, 6:30 pm - Workingman’s Dead

August 1 DABFEST: 4 pm - Daze Ago, 6:30 pm - Dead Alliance Buffalo

September 12: 4pm - The Feast, 6:30pm - Little Mountain Band

FREE Blues Sundays

Sundays, May 24-August 30, 3-6 pm at The Hilltop Inn & Grove, Alden, NY. FREE

May 24 - The FEAST
May 31 - Rusty Fisher
June 7 - Jony James
June 14 - Nickel City Blues Band
June 21 - Son Henry
June 28 - Growlers Blues Band
July 5 - Rusty Fisher
July 12 - Nickel City Blues Band
July 19 - Speedy Parker
July 26 - The FEAST
August 2 - Jony James
August 9 - Nickel City Blues Band
August 16 - Speedy Parker
August 23 - Growlers Blues Band
August 30 - Cold Shot

Music in the Park 2026

Thursdays in June, 5-9:30 pm in Cazenovia Park, South Buffalo, NY. FREE

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Hamburg Music Fest 2026

20+ Stages. 40+ Bands. 15+Venues.

Friday, May 29 and Saturday May 30, various spots in the Village of Hamburg, NY. $26.90/$37.25 for two-day pass

FRIDAY 5/29

4 pm - In My Life

5 pm - Kenny Parker Project

6 pm - Antler Pi[e

7 pm - Witty Tarbox

8:30 pm - Uncle Ben’s Remedy

FRIDAY 5/29 in Peace Park

5 - 9 pm - School of Rock

SATURDAY 5/30

12 noon - School of Rock

2 pm - Brass Machine

3 pm - Cami Clune & The Fringe

4 pm - Young Buffalo

5 pm - Rock Angel

6 pm - Ten Cent Howl

7 pm - PA Line

8:30 pm - The Strictly Hip

24th Annual Music is Art Festival confirmed and Call for artists!

Saturday, September 12, 11 am-11 pm at Terminal B and Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, Buffalo, NY. FREE. To participate in this year’s event, click here!

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Food Truck Thursdays at Gateway Harbor concert music line-up

Thursdays, Jun 4 - September 17, 5-8 pm at Tonawanda Pavilion on Canal Street in Tonawanda, NY. FREE

New and Noteworthy

Roger Daltrey: A Great Night Out Tour

September 17, 7:30 pm at Artpark Mainstage Theater, Lewiston, NY. $46/$86 seats/VIP available. Presale tickets on sale now with (PW: GREATNIGHT). Public on sale starts Friday, May 15 at 10 am.

Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls w/Emily Wolfe & Black Guy Fawkes

Wednesday, September 16, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. Tickets on sale Friday, May 15.

LEGACY IN MOTION: Celebrating Miles Davis at 100

Jon Lehrer Dance Company with John Bacon and Star People

Friday, July 17, 7:30 pm at Artpark Mainstage Theater, Lewiston, NY. $28 seats/$38 table seating/$69 VIP table seating

The SoapGirls

Wednesday, June 17, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. $20

Barry Manilow (rescheduled)

Tuesday, June 30, 7 pm at KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY. $38+

An Evening with Greensky Bluegrass

Wednesday, July 22, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $42.93

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy

Saturday, November 7, 8 pm at Buffalo State Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY. $53.75 to $62.50.

Fetty Wap

Saturday, August 22, 8 pm at Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B. Tickets on sale Friday 5/15.

Death From Above 1979

Saturday, November 28, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. Tickets on sale TBA.

The Mountain Goats

Monday, August 17, 7 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. Tickets on sale Tuesday, May 19.

FUNGKSHUI w/ Witty Tarbox

Saturday, June 6, 8 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10/$15

SAOSIN w/Silent Planet, Like Moths To Flames, and Save Us

Saturday, November 28, 6 pm doors at Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. $42.93

Punch Brothers

Sunday, November 15, 7:30 pm at the Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. $40, $50, $60, and $90. Tickets on sale now.

Jet wsg/The Glorious Sons

Wednesday, September 23, 7 pm doors at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $45.28

Simple Plan

Saturday, December 19, 8 pm at OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ONT, CA. $92+. Tickets on sale now.

Pavlo and Band

Friday, October 16, 8 pm at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. Tickets on sale now.

John Oates & the Good Road Band

Friday, September 25 & Saturday, September 26, 8 pm at the Bear’s Den, Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, Niagara Falls, NY. $65/$75

Dead in the Water

Dead Alliance Buffalo 3-hour boat ride on the Erie Canal

Sunday, June 28 and Sunday, August 16, 3 pm sharp at 210 Market Street Boat Launch, Lockport, NY. $30

Classic Vinyl Live! with Jeff Miers: Miles Davis “On the Corner”

Monday, June 8, 7 pm at Sportmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $15

This week…

The Sheila Divine

Thursday, May 14, 7 pm doors at Electric City, Buffalo, NY. $25.71+

Chantal Kreviazuk

Thursday, May 14, 8 pm at Asbury Hall in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $35/$40

Jeremy Porter & The Tucos/Eric Weinholtz Trio

Thursday, May 14, 7 pm at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. $10

Mary Ramsey & Friends

Thursday, May 14, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25 stage area /$15/$20 bar area

Miller & The Other Sinners

Thursday, May 14, 6 pm at Sportmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

ABTrio

Thursday, May 14, 6 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $20 suggested donation or PWYC

Loop de Loop (Ween Tribute)

Friday, May 15, 9 pm at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10

GROSH Video Release Party

Friday, May 15, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $12/$20

Scoulive

Paying tribute to John Scofield and Soulive

Friday, May 15, 10 pm at Jack Rabbit, Buffalo, NY. $

Scott Celani Band Tom Petty Tribute, Tequila Sunrise Honoring the Music of The Eagles & The Filter Kings ft/ Mark Krurnowski

Friday, May 15, 6 pm doors at The Cave, Buffalo, NY. $15

Willy Jacks wsg/Joe Bellanti

Greg Klyma, Jamie Sunshine, Matthew Blue, and sg/Joe Bellanti

Friday, May 15, 6 pm at Turning Bridge Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

John Bacon Quintet

Friday, May 15, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. $19/$25 stage, $16/$20 bar

Evan Anstey & the Old Ways

Folk/indie blugrass

Friday, May 15, 6 pm at Duende at Silo City, Buffalo, NY.

Buffalo Porchfest

Saturday, May 16, all day on various porches, Elmwood Village, Buffalo, NY. FREE

Ian Liedke Trio Presents: A Tribute to Bill Evans

Saturday, May 16, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. $15/$20 stage, $13/$18 bar

sousaphunk

Saturday, May 16, 8 pm at Molly Maguires, South Buffalo, NY. FREE

Gathered In Their Masses Fundraiser: Annual Black Sabbath Tribute night

Saturday, May 16, 8 pm doors at Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY. $10 (raising funds for Pawsitive for Heroes, pairing services dogs with Veterans)

PastMasters

Saturday, May 16, 3 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

Fluff Dead

Saturday, May 16, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

Joe Baudo Jazz Quintet

Wednesday, May 20, NOON at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. FREE

Mama’s Broke

Wednesday, May 20, 7 pm doors at The 9th Ward in Babeville, Buffalo, NY. $20/$25

The Kensingtons

Friday, May 22, 6 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

97 Rock Friday Bike Night Season Opener: Allykat

Friday, May 22, 6 pm at The Hilltop Inn & Grove, Alden, NY.

Digba Ogunbiyi Quartet Album Release

Friday, May 22, 7 pm at PAUSA art house, Buffalo, NY. $18 stage/$15 bar

Public Water Supply w/The Snake Oil Serenaders

Saturday, May 23, 8 pm at Sportsmens Tavern, Buffalo, NY. $10

Miers on Music

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